GWU women can't close out Winthrop

Published: Saturday, January 12, 2013 at 05:37 PM.

“I was really proud of how she played,” said Reeves, “also Olivia Parker who had 13 rebounds even though her back has been hurt. We had 17 offensive boards.”

Dequesha McClanahan, the league’s Player of the Year last season, paced the Lady Eagles (9-8, 3-2 Big South) with 23 points. Nunn had 12 points with 14 rebounds, while Choibekovaadded 11 points.

Jessica Heiligadded 10 points for GWU, now 0-6 in league action.

Reeves pointed to the need for more production from his bench. Four GWU players — Jasmine Dale, Green, Lana Doran and Mayhana Dunovant— all were on the court for more than 30 minutes of the fast-paced action.

That also may have contributed to GWU’stough 10-for-21 night at the foul line, starting out the game 1-for-9 in that department.

BOILING SPRINGS — There’sno one secret to getting a competitive team over the hump and winning close games.

Gardner-Webb University women’s basketball coach Rick Reeves knows there are no shortcuts. “To learn how to win, the only way is to win ’em,” he said.

Thus the frustration for the Lady Runnin’ Bulldogs after a 60-55 Big South Conference loss to visiting Winthrop on Saturday afternoon at Paul Porter Arena. It was a contest in which GWU fought back from 10 down to own a three-point lead in the final five minutes only to see the Lady Eagles pull out the win. That comes on the heels of an overtime defeat versus Radford on Thursday.

A pair of huge 3-point baskets by Winthrop’s Diana Choibekovaplus a couple of crucial Gardner-Webb turnovers in the final minute settled the issue.

“I’m extremely proud of the effort,” said GWU’sReeves. “We’re 7-10 but we’re not that far away…overtime here, a three-point game there. We’re just not there yet.”

Junior center CatrinaGreen seemed to put the Lady Bulldogs, down 30-21 at the break, on her shoulders in the second half.

Despite battling a taller defender in Winthrop’s 6-foot-3 SchaquillaNunn, Green scored 16 of her 21 points in the final 20 minutes. She also grabbed nine rebounds after the break and 16 for the game. It was her 10th double-double on the season for GWU.

“I was really proud of how she played,” said Reeves, “also Olivia Parker who had 13 rebounds even though her back has been hurt. We had 17 offensive boards.”

Dequesha McClanahan, the league’s Player of the Year last season, paced the Lady Eagles (9-8, 3-2 Big South) with 23 points. Nunn had 12 points with 14 rebounds, while Choibekovaadded 11 points.

Jessica Heiligadded 10 points for GWU, now 0-6 in league action.

Reeves pointed to the need for more production from his bench. Four GWU players — Jasmine Dale, Green, Lana Doran and Mayhana Dunovant— all were on the court for more than 30 minutes of the fast-paced action.

That also may have contributed to GWU’stough 10-for-21 night at the foul line, starting out the game 1-for-9 in that department.